The big picture
Jeremiah 9 opens in verse 1 with “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have…”, and closes in verse 26 with “Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, neighbour, glory, people, wailing. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Jeremiah · King James Version · 26Jeremiah 9:1-7
1–7: Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I…
Jeremiah 9:1–7 opens with “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night…” and reaches “Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 9 develops its own movement around LORD, neighbour, glory, people, wailing, with particular weight carried by LORD, neighbour, people.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include daughter, eyes, fountain. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for…” The line’s distinctive content terms include adulterers, assembly, leave. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.
Jeremiah 9:1-7
King James Version1Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
2Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
3And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD .
4Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
5And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD .
7Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
Jeremiah 9:8-14
8–14: Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh…
Jeremiah 9:8–14 opens with “Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his…” and reaches “But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 9 develops its own movement around LORD, neighbour, glory, people, wailing, with particular weight carried by LORD, burned, heart.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD : shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Jeremiah 9:8-14
King James Version8Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
9Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD : shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.
11And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
12Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?
13And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
14But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:
Jeremiah 9:15-21
15–21: Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I…
Jeremiah 9:15–21 opens with “Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this…” and reaches “For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 9 develops its own movement around LORD, neighbour, glory, people, wailing, with particular weight carried by LORD, wailing, women.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword…” The line’s distinctive content terms include consumed, fathers, heathen. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning…” Naming Consider keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Jeremiah 9:15-21
King James Version15Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
16I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.
17Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come:
18And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.
19For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.
20Yet hear the word of the LORD , O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.
21For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.
Jeremiah 9:22-26
22–26: Speak, Thus saith the LORD , Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung…
Jeremiah 9:22–26 opens with “Speak, Thus saith the LORD , Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field…” and reaches “Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 9 develops its own movement around LORD, neighbour, glory, people, wailing, with particular weight carried by LORD, glory, uncircumcised.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Speak, Thus saith the LORD , Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Thus saith the LORD , Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not…” The line’s distinctive content terms include glory, LORD, mighty. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.
Jeremiah 9:22-26
King James Version22Speak, Thus saith the LORD , Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them.
23Thus saith the LORD , Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD .
25Behold, the days come, saith the LORD , that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;
26Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Jeremiah 9:1 begins with “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!”
Where the chapter turns
Jeremiah 9:12 forms a natural hinge: “Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth…”
The final note
Jeremiah 9:26 leaves the reader with “Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, neighbour, glory, people, wailing, wilderness help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who is included in the covenant?
Noah, his descendants and every living creature. Trace the repeated wording in verses 8-17.
Why does verse 6 matter after the flood?
It grounds the protection of every human life in the continuing divine image.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.